Lazy hands make a man poor,

but diligent hands bring wealth. Prov 10:4

The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,

but poverty is the ruin of the poor. Prov 10:15

The blessing of the LORD brings wealth,

and he adds no trouble to it. Prov 10:22

A man’s riches may ransom his life,

but a poor man hears no threat. Prov 13:8

The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;

they imagine it an unscalable wall. Prov 18:11

A poor man pleads for mercy,

but a rich man answers harshly. Prov 18:23

Wealth brings many friends,

but a poor man’s friend deserts him. Prov 19:4

A fortune made by a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare. Prov 21:6

Keep falsehood and lies far from me;

give me neither poverty nor riches,

but give me only my daily bread.

Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you

and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’

Or I may become poor and steal,

and so dishonor the name of my God. Prov 30:8-9

When others are obviously rich or poor, we infer many things about their talents, education, personality, tastes and personal influence. But, from the perspective of the proverbs, wealth and poverty are poor standards to use in judging others. Furthermore, Proverbs tells us it is foolish to suppose that wealth is an unmixed blessing and that poverty is always a curse.

In a world that views wealth and poverty from faulty and imperfect perspectives, we need the precise, pithy standards in the proverbs to guide our steps away from snares that lie on every side. The proverbs in this study are only a few that help us think wisely about our possessions.

1. Whether we think we’re rich or poor often depends on our point of view. In what circumstances would you "feel" wealthy or poor? (Remember, we’re thinking of material wealth and poverty.)

2. Read the proverbs above, looking for several advantages of wealth. Are they the ones you’d have thought of by yourself? Explain.

3. Looking over the same proverbs, what do you see to be some of the disadvantages of wealth?

4. Cite an example from your experience (or the experience of someone you know about) where an increase in wealth proved disadvantageous.

5. Consider the first line of Proverbs 13:8—"A man’s riches may ransom his life." How might that statement refer to either an advantage or a disadvantage of wealth?

6. After the second line of Proverbs 13:8 is considered, would you say the first line is speaking of an advantage or disadvantage of wealth? Explain.

7. Proverbs 10:15 and 18:11 have the same first line. In each case, is the line expressing an advantage or disadvantage of wealth? Explain.

8. The top eleven per cent of wage-earners pay about fifty-three per cent of the taxes collected each year. Are these facts consistent or inconsistent with statements in Proverbs? Why or why not?

9. Consider the disadvantages of poverty mentioned in the sampling of Proverbs. Do any of them surprise you? Why?

10. What advantages of poverty are mentioned in the proverbs?

11. Can you think of a situation where your poverty (actual or perceived) proved to be an advantage to you?

12. It is simple to know if we’re extravagantly rich or pitifully poor. But between these extremes the boundaries between poverty and wealth are hard to see. How does the prayer in Proverbs 30:8-9 help us know when we are becoming perilously rich or poor?

To what extent have you embraced the attitude: "Give me only my daily bread"?    Explain.